Departmental Pay

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what proportion of employees in his Department who received a performance-related bonus at their last appraisal were  (a) male,  (b) female,  (c) from an ethnic minority,  (d) disabled and  (e) not heterosexual; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not yet determined performance-related bonus payments for the reporting year 2007-08. The following data gives a breakdown for the appraisal period ending 2006-07:
	2,902 (51.36 per cent. of the total number of staff who received a bonus were male);
	1,984 (35.12 per cent. of the total number of staff who received a bonus were female);
	406 (7.19 per cent. of the total number of staff who received a bonus were from an ethnic minority);
	207 (3.66 per cent. of the total number of staff who received a bonus were disabled); and
	we do not collect data on the sexual orientation of staff.
	Staff declaration of ethnic background and disabled status is voluntary.
	The Office of National Statistics publish data on the gender, disability status and ethnic background of civil servants in Government Departments.

Indonesia: Human Rights

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the  (a) observations and  (b) recommendations of the report on Indonesia of the United Nations Committee against Torture; if he will make representations to the government of Indonesia on the Committee's observations and recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We welcome the report on Indonesia by the UN Committee against Torture's observations and recommendations on Indonesia. The Committee welcomed Indonesia's accession to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 2006. It also welcomed the visit to Indonesia by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Dr Manfred Nowak, in November 2007 as well as visits by the former UN Special Representative for Human Rights Defenders and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers.
	However, the Committee expressed concerns about abuses in a number of areas, including allegations of torture and ill-treatment of suspects in police custody, the disproportionate use offeree by the security forces and the harassment of human rights defenders. It puts forward a number of recommendations and Indonesia has been asked to respond to some of these recommendations within a year. We look forward to seeing the response from the Indonesian authorities.
	Our Embassy in Jakarta monitors closely the human rights situation in Indonesia and we continue to raise issues of concern with the Indonesian authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Annual Human Rights Report for 2007 sets out our concerns on the human rights situation in Indonesia, including reports of threats against human rights defenders. The full report can be found at:
	www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/publications/annual-reports/human-rights-report

Higher Education: Admissions

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many residents of  (a) Cleethorpes constituency,  (b) North East Lincolnshire and  (c) North Lincolnshire entered higher education in each of the last 10 years; and how many of those were (i) mature and (ii) part-time in each of those years.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is shown in the table. Comparable figures for the 2007/08 academic year will be available in January 2009.
	
		
			  Entrants( 1)  to undergraduate courses from Cleethorpes parliamentary constituency, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire local authorities—UK higher education institutions—academic years 1997/98 to 2006/07 
			   Cleethorpes  North East Lincolnshire  North Lincolnshire 
			Of all entrants( 2)   Of all entrants( 2)   Of all entrants( 2) 
			  Academic year  All entrants  Mature( 3)  Part-time  All entrants  Mature( 3)  Part-time  All entrants  Mature( 3)  Part-time 
			 1997/98(4) 570 265 130 910 460 200 1,040 460 260 
			 1998/99 620 290 195 1,035 535 345 1,120 515 315 
			 1999/2000 650 315 205 1,050 540 360 1,210 600 385 
			 2000/01 715 400 325 1,055 630 505 1,360 720 540 
			 2001/02 620 315 225 965 520 365 1,255 665 450 
			 2002/03 710 380 305 1,030 595 470 1,370 720 515 
			 2003/04 670 340 255 1,065 560 410 1,185 660 500 
			 2004/05(5) 715 405 340 1,065 615 490 1,165 580 475 
			 2005/06 665 355 290 1,050 590 455 1,070 515 425 
			 2006/07 655 340 280 1,015 565 435 1,215 655 600 
			 (1) Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December to maintain a consistent time series across al years and are rounded to the nearest five. Figures include the Open University but exclude those on writing up, sabbatical or dormant mode of study. (2) Breakdowns for mature and part-time students contain double counting (i.e. part-time students over 21 years of age will be included in both columns). (3) Mature undergraduate students are aged 21 and over. Figures include a small number of students whose age was unknown. (4) Figures for 1997/98 exclude the Open University because there are no figures available for entrants to undergraduate courses at the Open University by local authority for this year. (5 )As a consequence of a problem identified with data submitted by the Open University (OU) in the 2004/05 academic year, a number of students were not returned as entrants although included in the total enrolments figure. However as a result, the increase in entrants between 2004/05 and 2005/06 appears greater than in reality, particularly in respect of undergraduate entrants.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Housing: Standards

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding was provided to Milton Keynes Unitary Authority from the Decent Homes programme in each of the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: Milton Keynes opted to deliver decent homes through a stock retention strategy using their existing funding streams.
	The funding streams that the Department awards for spending on the improvement of council housing are supported borrowing and the major repairs allowance (introduced in 2001-02). Supported borrowing is where the Government pays the interest on local authority borrowing, allowing it to borrow for capital works to the stock.
	Prior to 2006-2007 private sector renewal funding was included in the local authorities supported borrowing. This has since moved to a capital grant and is therefore no longer recorded in this data which explains the reduction in between 2005-06 and 2006-07.
	The following table shows the major repairs allowance from its introduction in 2001-02 and the supported borrowing of Milton Keynes unitary authority for each of the last ten years.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Major repairs allowance  Supported borrowing 
			 1997-98 n/a 2,376,000 
			 1998-99 n/a 2,520,000 
			 1999-2000 n/a 2,514,000 
			 2000-01 n/a 4,843,000 
			 2001-02 7,165,994 1,381,000 
			 2002-03 7,261,700 1,517,000 
			 2003-04 7,303,889 1,655,000 
			 2004-05 7,211,639 1,941,000 
			 2005-06 7,698,283 2,017,000 
			 2006-07 7,550,439 832,000 
			 2007-08 7,627,807 832,000 
		
	
	In addition local authorities may also borrow prudentially (receiving no Government support for the interest payments) and they can use any capital receipts they have.

Schools: Isle of Wight

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what discussions he has had with the Isle of Wight Council on levels of funding for the Primary Capital Programme beyond 2011.

Jim Knight: None. All local authorities have been advised that, subject to future Government spending decisions, the national programme is expected to continue until 2022-23 at a baseline of £500 million per annum. Decisions have yet to be taken on allocations for individual local authorities beyond 2010-11. However, we have advised LAs to plan on the assumption that there wilt be no increase.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Devon

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 193-4W, on antisocial behaviour orders: Devon, how many of the antisocial behaviour orders issued in Devon and Cornwall in 2006 were breached; and how many offenders received  (a) one and  (b) two warnings in lieu of an antisocial behaviour order.

Vernon Coaker: 79 of the persons who had been issued with an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) at a court located in the Devon and Cornwall criminal justice system (CJS) area between 1 June 2000 and 31 December 2006 have been proven in court to have breached their order at least once at some point before 31 December 2006. It is important to note, however, that an ASBO can be issued in one CJS area and breached in another. Therefore not all the 79 persons would necessarily have breached their ASBO in Devon and Cornwall.
	Data on warnings is not collected centrally.

Police: Horses

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) mounted police officers and  (b) dog handlers were employed by each police force in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The available data are given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Police officers (FTE)( 1)  whose primary function( 2)  is "dogs" for 2002-03 to 2006-07 
			  Functions  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 47 45 45 45 45 
			 Bedfordshire 19 18 17 18 17 
			 Cambridgeshire 19 18 18 19 19 
			 Cheshire 24 23 22 21 25 
			 Cleveland 18 19 19 17 21 
			 Cumbria 20 21 19 20 20 
			 Derbyshire 24 24 24 24 24 
			 Devon and Cornwall 48 47 48 49 46 
			 Dorset 22 20 21 22 23 
			 Durham 26 27 24 25 24 
			 Dyfed Powys 19 19 20 19 20 
			 Essex 46 45 48 48 48 
			 Gloucestershire 16 14 17 17 17 
			 Greater Manchester 116 118 90 96 87 
			 Gwent 16 15 15 16 16 
			 Hampshire 28 35 36 36 33 
			 Hertfordshire 27 26 26 29 28 
			 Humberside 28 28 27 27 27 
			 Kent 48 n/a 45 47 43 
			 Lancashire 41 35 36 30 29 
			 Leicestershire n/a 25 24 22 23 
			 Lincolnshire 22 22 22 19 17 
			 London, City of 18 17 18 18 18 
			 Merseyside 31 32 35 45 44 
			 Metropolitan Police 205 237 241 251 251 
			 Norfolk 19 22 20 20 20 
			 Northamptonshire 14 13 13 13 12 
			 Northumbria 54 60 61 60 61 
			 North Wales 12 12 15 11 12 
			 North Yorkshire 23 23 21 21 20 
			 Nottinghamshire 30 32 33 33 34 
			 South Wales 43 40 43 39 42 
			 South Yorkshire 52 50 44 48 48 
			 Staffordshire 27 28 27 25 26 
			 Suffolk 14 14 13 13 13 
			 Surrey 34 36 33 34 35 
			 Sussex 49 48 51 47 48 
			 Thames Valley 43 40 39 40 41 
			 Warwickshire 15 15 16 16 14 
			 West Mercia 35 37 38 37 37 
			 West Midlands 69 69 67 69 66 
			 West Yorkshire 62 68 61 58 56 
			 Wiltshire 15 15 17 18 18 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between the totals in this table and totals in similar published tables. (2) Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables. Dog handlers including those employed for general policing, drugs and explosive detection duties. Including staff who are predominately employed within dogs sections other that dog handlers. Including those officers in supporting roles.  Note: Overall force totals including those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. The data in the function breakdown is from unpublished sources and therefore totals may not match totals found in the published data. 
		
	
	
		
			  Police officers (FTE)( 1)  whose primary function( 2)  is "mounted" for 2002-03 to 2006-07 
			  Functions  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 10 14 11 11 10 
			 Bedfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 10 10 9 10 10 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Dyfed Powys 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Essex 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Greater Manchester 40 47 49 45 32 
			 Gwent 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Humberside 7 7 7 6 7 
			 Kent 0 n/a 0 0 0 
			 Lancashire 16 15 15 15 16 
			 Leicestershire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 London, City of 9 12 12 10 11 
			 Merseyside 24 27 25 25 27 
			 Metropolitan Police 120 123 124 145 141 
			 Norfolk 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northumbria g 7 9 9 11 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 8 8 8 7 7 
			 South Wales 8 9 9 10 9 
			 South Yorkshire 16 n/a 16 16 16 
			 Staffordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Surrey 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Sussex 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thames Valley 9 9 8 9 10 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Mercia 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Midlands 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Yorkshire 26 26 26 26 23 
			 Wiltshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between the totals in this table and totals in similar published tables. (2) Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables. Staff who predominately conduct mounted patrol duties, including supervisors. Including those officers in supporting roles.  Note: Overall force totals including those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. The data in the function breakdown is from unpublished sources and therefore totals may not match totals found in the published data.

Young Offenders: Females

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were committed by females aged between 10 and 17 years in Suffolk in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: Information on the number of crimes committed by females aged between 10 and 17 years in Suffolk is not available from the British Crime Survey (BCS) or police recorded crime data.
	The BCS does ask victims of crime about the characteristics of their offenders but the sample size is not sufficient to provide reliable estimates for Suffolk. The number of crimes recorded by the police is available for Suffolk but information on the age or sex of the offender is not available centrally.
	Information on the number of offences committed by females aged 10-17 that led to a pre-court disposal (reprimand or final warning) or a court disposal in Suffolk in each of the last five years are available and shown in the following table.
	As such, these are not a measure of crime or of the number of young offenders. They represent the workload of youth offending teams and not necessarily the level or variation in crime or offending.
	
		
			  Number of offences resulting in a disposal in Suffolk in which the offender was a female aged 10-17 
			   Number 
			 2003 941 
			 2004 932 
			 2005 872 
			 2006 969 
			 2007 790 
			  Source:  Youth Justice Board

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds of  (a) 5.56,  (b) 7.62 and  (c) .5 calibre ammunition were fired in each of the last six months by British troops in Afghanistan.

Bob Ainsworth: Between December 2007 and May 2008 inclusive, British troops in Afghanistan used some 980,000 rounds of 5.56 mm calibre, 930,000 rounds of 7.62 mm calibre, and 186,000 rounds of 12.72 mm calibre, also known as .5, 0.50, or 50 calibre.
	This is broken down for use by month in the following table, rounded to the nearest thousand:
	
		
			   Number of rounds of ammunition used 
			  Month  5.56mm  7.62mm  12.72mm 
			 December 83,000 78,000 22,000 
			 January 72,000 65,000 6,000 
			 February 92,000 87,000 15,000 
			 March 400,000 460,000 62,000 
			 April 290,000 210,000 73,000 
			 May 48,000 27,000 8,000 
		
	
	This data includes rounds used in training, as well as operational usage.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units have been deployed to  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan over the last 12 months with full-strength bearing; and how many troops were deployed.

Des Browne: holding answer 28 January 2008
	 All units deploy at the required strength for the tasks they are asked to fulfil during their operational tour.
	Information on the number of troops from each unit which deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in the last 12 months is being collated. I will write to the hon. Member when the information is available.
	 Substantive answer from Des Browne to  Andrew Murrison:
	I undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 29 January 2008 (Official Report, column 186W), about which units have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan over the last 12 months with full strength bearing and how many troops were deployed.
	As my answer indicated, all units will deploy at the strength required for the tasks that they are asked to fulfil during their operational tour. The table, attached at ANNEX A, lists the main formed units which deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan from November 2006 to April 2008 and the total troop numbers which these units deployed. The equivalent information is not held for subunits, so the totals will not match the overall numbers which deployed on each roulement. As you know, it is not unusual for a roulement to be configured from elements of a number of units, each of which are contributing a small number of troops in support of the main formation. All units that are tasked to deploy on each operational tour are listed in the relevant announcement laid before Parliament.
	You may also be interested in the answers given to the Hon Member for Newark, Patrick Mercer, on 7 January 2008 (Official Report, column SOW) and 16 January 2008 (Official Report, column 1247W), about peace establishment numbers for a number or regiments. I enclose copies of the Hansard extracts for ease of reference.
	I am placing a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
	
		
			  Annex A: Formed unit strengths deployed on recent operational tours 
			  Telic deployments: Telic 9—November 2006 to May 2007 
			  Unit  Unit strength 
			 2(nd) Bn Lancashire Regt 455 
			 Queens Royal Lancers 320 
			 1(st) Bn Yorkshire Regt 550 
			 2(nd) Bn The Rifles 703 
			 40 Regiment Royal Artillery 298 
			 3(rd) Bn Mercian Regiment 509 
		
	
	
		
			  Telic deployments: Telic 10—June 2007 to November 2007 
			  Unit  Unit strength 
			 2(nd) Bn Royal Welsh Regiment 522 
			 1(st) Bn Irish Guards 409 
			 4(th) Bn The Rifles 587 
			 1(st) Regt Royal Horse Artillery 388 
			 Kings Royal Hussars 445 
		
	
	
		
			  Herrick deployments: Herrick 5—October 2006 to April 2007 
			  Unit  Total unit strength 
			 42 and 45 Commando Royal Marines 2,067 
		
	
	
		
			  Herrick deployments: Herrick 6—April 2007 to October 2007 
			  Unit  Unit strength 
			 1(st) Bn Royal Anglian Regt 583 
			 2(nd) Bn Mercian Regiment 466 
			 The Light Dragoons 190 
		
	
	
		
			  Herrick deployments: Herrick 7—October 2007 to April 2008 
			  Unit  Unit strength 
			 40 Commando Royal Marines 822 
			 Household Cavalry Regt 190 
			 1(st) Bn Royal Gurkha Rifles 585 
			 1(st) Bn Coldstream Guards 500 
			 4 Regt Royal Artillery 372

Lynx Helicopters: Procurement

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account was taken in the Department's procurement process of the conclusion of the long-term partnering agreement between his Department and Agusta-Westland in March 2005, with particular reference to bidders for fulfilment of the Future Lynx contract.

Bob Ainsworth: The Heads of Agreement signed with Agusta Westland in March 2005 and announced via a written ministerial statement on 24 March 2005,  Official Report, column 83WS, committed the Department to exploring the possibility of partnering. The same statement confirmed that the potential award of a Future Lynx contract was subject to continuing negotiations to agree acceptable contract conditions and prices within clearly defined parameters. The subsequent decision to proceed with Future Lynx was taken as this represented the best through-life approach; its contribution to the sustainment of critical UK skills was a secondary consideration.

Cultural Heritage: Manpower

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many members of staff are employed by each  (a) Regional Arts Council,  (b) Regional Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and  (c) Regional Cultural Consortium.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 6 June 2008
	Figures for the number of staff employed by the bodies in question, as provided by those bodies, are set out as follows. These represent the total number of individuals employed, not the number of full time equivalents.
	
		
			  Regional arts councils 
			   Number 
			 East 47 
			 East Midlands 65 
			 London 107 
			 North East 56 
			 North West 70 
			 South East 61 
			 South West 56 
			 West Midlands 48 
			 Yorkshire 52 
			  Note: These figures include people working with Creative Partnerships. 
		
	
	
		
			  Regional museums, libraries and archives councils 
			   Number 
			 MLA East England 12 
			 MLA East Midlands 19 
			 MLA London 21 
			 MLA North East 10 
			 MLA North West 9 
			 MLA South East 15 
			 MLA South West 15 
			 MLA West Midlands 18 
			 MLA Yorkshire 12 
			  Note: The nine MLA regional agencies are independent bodies and employ their own staff, funded by core funding from MLA and other external project funding. The staffing figures have been provided by the regional agencies and are correct as at June 2008. They include both permanent and project staff on short-term contracts and represent a reduction of 30 per cent. from September 2007. 
		
	
	
		
			  Regional cultural consortiums 
			   Number 
			 Culture East Midlands 5 
			 Culture North East 5 
			 Culture North West 9 
			 Culture South East 5 
			 Culture South West 5 
			 Culture West Midlands 7 
			 Living East 4 
			 Yorkshire Culture 8 
			  Note: Some posts are co-funded by partners and these posts are included in the figures.

Culture: Education

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of the £69 million funding allocated for the Five Hour Offer between 2008 and 2011 will come from  (a) the National Lottery and  (b) HM Treasury.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 16 June 2008
	Sport England has advised that the entire £69 million investment between 2008-11 to support the five-hour sports offer for children and young people is Exchequer funding. (This funding includes £4.5 million from DCSF).

Departmental Manpower

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 1010-14W, on departmental manpower, what functions were carried out by the full-time equivalent employee in the Trade Union division.

Gerry Sutcliffe: This employee, working within the Corporate Services Directorate, is provided 100 per cent. facility time, with management agreement, to undertake his joint role as chair of the departmental trade union side (DTUS) and chair of the DCMS branch of the public and commercial services union (PCS). Main duties attached to the post include:
	leading for the DTUS in formal meetings/consultations/negotiations with senior management on issues relating to pay and terms and conditions of employment;
	ensuring the PCS Branch is run in accordance with its constitution and union rules;
	ensuring that PCS members are kept informed and consulted on relevant local and national union matters;
	representing members with personal work issues;
	Vice President and committee member of the Culture, Media and Sport Occupational Association.

Departmental NDPBs

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 817-19W, on departmental NDPBs, with which public bodies his Department had finalised funding agreements as of 1 June 2008; for what period funding has been agreed; and how much funding has been agreed in each case.

Andy Burnham: The information you request is listed in the following table:
	
		
			  Name of NDPB  Period of funding agreement  2008-09 (£)  2009-10 (£)  2010-11 (£) 
			 British Library 2008-11 106,904,000 109,464,000 112,094,000 
			 Culture North East 2008-09 215,000 — — 
			 Culture South West 2008-09 215,000 — — 
			 Gambling Commission 2008-11 500,000 500,000 500,000 
			 Museums, Libraries and Archives Council 2008-11 13,971,000 12,971,000 11,471,000 
			 Public Lending Right 2008-11 7,432,000 7,582,000 7,682,000 
			 Yorkshire Culture 2008-09 215,000 — — 
		
	
	In addition, since 1 June 2008 the following NDPBs have had their funding agreements finalised and signed.
	
		
			  Name of NDPB  Period of funding agreement  2008-09 (£)  2009-10 (£)  2010-11 (£) 
			 British Museum 2008-11 50,875,000 52,028,000 54,222,000 
			 Culture North West 2008-09 215,000 — — 
			 Football Licensing Authority 2008-11 1,321,000 1,261,000 1,261,000 
			 Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust 2008-11 1,276,000 1,181,000 1,211,000 
			 Imperial War Museum 2008-11 23,588,000 24,163,000 24,752,000 
			 Living East 2008-09 215,000 — — 
			 Museum of Science and Industry 2008-11 39,158,000 40,608,000 41,583,000 
			 Sir John Soane's Museum 2008-11 1,276,000 1,181,000 1,211,000 
			 Victoria and Albert Museum 2008-11 44,234,000 44,761,000 45,902,000

Departmental Postal Services

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on sending mail overseas in each year since 2001, broken down by delivery company.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since 2001 the Department has spent the following on overseas mail.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Supplier  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Addison Lee — — — — 726.39 — — — 
			 Anderson Young — — — 75.21 547.18 — — — 
			 Courier Systems — — — — — — — 1,760.64 
			 City Sprint 325.95 — 43.82 — 107.50 460.50 1,216.70 — 
			 Countdown International 89.00 417.50 — — 424.68 — — — 
			 Nightspeed 162.00 — — — — — — — 
			 Royal Mail — — 375.00 2,019.26 1,669.33 1,667.39 992.27 501.99 
			 Parcel Force — — — — — 213.24 74.04 — 
			 Transglobal Express Ltd — — — — — — 250.00 — 
			 Total 576.95 417.50 418.82 2,094.47 3,475.08 2,341.13 2,533.01 2,262.63

English Sports Council: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what means he expects the £20 million administrative savings expected of Sport England over the next three years will be achieved.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 16 June 2008
	The reduction in Sport England's operating costs of £20 million over the next three years will be achieved by a range of measures, which include: the centralisation of grant making; the creation of a single, streamlined grant application process; a tighter focus in regional activities; savings to information and communication technology services; and improvements in procurement and financial management.

English Sports Council: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his Department's definition is of  (a) direct delivery costs and  (b) over operating costs, as used in paragraph 108 of the Sport England strategy for 2008 to 2011.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 16 June 2008
	Operating costs are defined as all the costs of the organisation, including its wider activities, other than the costs of grant awards.
	 (a) Sport England advise that direct delivery costs are a subset of operating costs which help deliver their outcomes and objectives. For example to support grant applicants, the direct delivery costs include meetings, publicity and guidance materials which improve the quality and range of applications. The direct delivery costs also include funding for research used by the sector as a whole (for example the Active People Survey and Sport England's contribution to the Taking Part Survey).
	 (b) Other operating costs support the delivery of Sport England's wider activities, for example:
	statutory and non-statutory planning function;
	technical advice service; and
	national and regional advocacy.
	Sport England emphasise that the percentages shown in the table at paragraph 108 of the Sport England strategy document are illustrative.

Sportsmatch: Grants

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what role Sportsmatch will have in the £10 million Small Grants Scheme under the Sport England strategy for 2008 to 2011.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer  16 June 2008
	Sport England has signalled a continuing role—within its £10 million funding for small grants—for the highly successfully Sportsmatch programme.

Swimming Pools

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many public swimming pools have closed in  (a) the Greater London area and  (b) England since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England has advised that information on local authority pool openings and closures across Greater London and England was not collected centrally prior to 2004, when the Active Places database of sports facilities across England was established. The most recent information from Sport England (November 2007) indicates the number of pools (not sites) opened and closed in each year since 2004 is:
	
		
			   Opened  Closed 
			  Greater London   
			 2004 6 0 
			 2005 4 6 
			 2006 7 0 
			 2007 6 3 
			
			  England   
			 2004 17 5 
			 2005 18 32 
			 2006 20 23 
			 2007 19 9

Swimming: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much  (a) his Department and  (b) the National Lottery is contributing to the £140 million fund announced on 6 June 2008 to encourage local authorities to offer free swimming.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is making a contribution to the capital fund of £9.75 million in 2008-09, £9.75 million in 2009-10 and £10 million in 2010-11.
	In terms of the National Lottery contribution, as part of our work over the summer to design the delivery and implementation arrangements of the free swimming offer, we will be discussing with Sport England its contribution, including the potential of making swimming a growth sport, and how the free swimming initiative can have an impact on increasing sports participation.

Television: Licensing

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) fines were issued and  (b) prosecutions were brought for the offence of installing or using a television receiver to watch or record television shows without a valid licence in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Andy Burnham: The administration and enforcement of the television licensing system are the responsibility of the BBC, which operates independently of Government. The day to day administration and enforcement of the licence fee regulations are undertaken by TV Licensing which acts as agent for the corporation. Fines are issued and collected by the courts, and information on the number of offenders fined in London for offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts, the majority of which relate to TV licence evasion, for 2002-06 is set out in the following table. This information has been provided by the Ministry of Justice and is not available by London borough.
	
		
			   Number sentenced  Number fined 
			 2002 10,878 10,267 
			 2003 7,218 7,066 
			 2004 11,471 11,352 
			 2005 17,018 16,837 
			 2006 15,068 14,902

Television: Sight Impaired

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he plans to change the specification of Freeview boxes under the Help Scheme to provide audio description and talking menus to help the visually impaired.

Andy Burnham: The Department set up the Emerging Technologies Group to keep the core receiver requirements of the scheme equipment under review and to recommend, where necessary, that new technologies are incorporated into this equipment. They will consider the case for talking menus for equipment supplied by the Help Scheme. Any recommendations must then be approved by me and the BBC as the operators of the scheme. Audio description is already a core receiver requirement.

Television: Sight Impaired

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to encourage the development of digital teletext on digital platforms to assist the visually impaired.

Andy Burnham: We welcome any developments to assist the visually impaired in this area. Blind and partially sighted people can currently get access to analogue terrestrial teletext services through 'Talking Teletext' equipment that translates written teletext into audible speech. The existing equipment is not suitable for receiving digital teletext services, however, as a different technology is used to broadcast those services. Portset, the manufacturer of 'Talking Teletext', has recently introduced a specially designed unit that, among other features, provides access for blind and partially sighted people to digital teletext.

Departmental Aviation

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individual domestic air flights were undertaken within mainland Britain by representatives of  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies in the most recent year for which figures are available; and at what cost.

Angela Eagle: The individual domestic air flights undertaken within mainland Britain by representatives against the corporate contract and the associated costs are as follows:
	
		
			   Number  Total cost 2007-08 (£) 
			 HMT (1)166 39,067 
			 DMO (2)3 892 
			 OGC (1)237 52,575 
			 Royal Mint (1)22 7,095 
			 Government Actuary's Department (1)56 5,479 
			 OGCbuying solutions (1)947 116,473 
			 Valuation Office Agency (1)399 50,408 
			 HMRC (1)32,641 1,291,145 
			 (1) Trips (2) Return flights. 
		
	
	NS&I can provide this information only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Higher Civil Servants

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what civil service grade the Head of the Government Finance profession is.

Angela Eagle: The civil service grade of the head of the Government Finance Profession is director-general, senior civil service pay band 3.

Departmental Vetting

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether  (a) UK citizens born in the UK,  (b) UK citizens born abroad and  (c) foreign nationals recruited into his Department and its agencies are subject to (i) UK and (ii) overseas criminal record checks; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The Department and its agencies carry out verification of the UK unspent criminal record declarations for all new recruits, and, where national security vetting is required, a check of spent convictions.
	The current position in respect of overseas checks was described in the answer the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office (Meg Hillier) gave to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Ruffley) on 4 February 2008  Official Report, column 825W.

Morning Star

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of the  Morning Star publication his Department and each of its agencies subscribes to each week; and at what cost.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury and each of its agencies do not subscribe to the  Morning Star publication.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer question  (a) 204170,  (b) 204171,  (c) 204172 and  (d) 204173 on vehicle excise duty, tabled by the hon. Member for Putney on 1st March 2008.

Angela Eagle: Notice of the hon. Member's questions first appeared on 2 May. The questions concerned required detailed analysis. I hope to be in a position to reply substantively shortly.

Afghanistan

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of his Department's staff are in each province of  (a) Afghanistan and  (b) Iraq; and what functions they are carrying out in each case.

Douglas Alexander: For security reasons, we do not disclose the number of staff we have working in Afghanistan and Iraq.
	DFID's role in Afghanistan supports three of the Afghan government's own objectives as set out in its national development strategy (ANDS): building effective state institutions, improving economic management and the effectiveness of aid; and improving the livelihoods of rural people. In Helmand, DFID oversees agriculture, infrastructure and microfinance projects, and provides advice on development to the provincial reconstruction team.
	DFID's role in Iraq is to support the government in unlocking its own human and financial resources. To this end, staff in Baghdad oversees three main programmes: economic reform; developing the machinery of government and donor co-ordination of humanitarian relief efforts. The DFID representative in Basra oversees DFID's power and water projects, and economic and governance work through the UK-led provincial reconstruction team.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what private contractors provided protection services for his Department in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in 2007;
	(2)  how much his Department spent on private contractors providing protection services for his Department in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in 2007.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) engages private contractors to provide protection services for our staff in high threat environments.
	In 2007-08, Control Risks Group (CRG) and Kroll provided mobile security for DFID staff, consultants and static guarding for our compounds in Iraq. Such contracts have been managed and administered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the total cost incurred by DFID was £5.9 million.
	In 2007-08, the private contractor ArmorGroup provided protection services for DFID in Afghanistan. The contract is managed and administered by the FCO and the total cost incurred by DFID was £2.03 million.

Congo Basin Forest Fund

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the Congo Basin Fund is being spent in support of forest conservation; whether he has had discussions with other donors on contributing to the fund; and what the relationship of the fund is to the Forest Carbon Partnership Fund managed by the World Bank.

Gareth Thomas: The Congo Basin Forest Fund (CBFF) will be launched on 17 June 2008. Governments, civil society and private sector organisations will be eligible to apply for funding once the Fund has been launched. Proposals will be assessed against the following criteria: innovation, slowing deforestation, reducing poverty and conformance with the COMIFAC (Central Africa Commission for Forestry) Convergence Plan.
	In addition to the initial finance of £50 million contribution to the CBFF, the UK has allocated up to £8 million to fund start-up activities, the nature of which are under consideration.
	The Fund has been welcomed by donors who are already active in the region. In addition, we have held discussions with the Norwegians, US, Japanese and French on contributing to the Fund. We are also considering collaboration with other donors under start-up activities.
	The Congo Basin Forest Fund and Forest Carbon Partnership are both resourced from the Strategic Climate Fund which will be housed at the World Bank. Officials are in constant dialogue to ensure synergies arise from the contributions both are planning to support.

EU Aid: Standards

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if his Department will take steps at EU level to ensure the publication of multiannual timetables showing how European Union member states are meeting their aid targets.

Douglas Alexander: European Union (EU) member states strongly reaffirmed their commitment to their aid targets at the recent General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC). The Council conclusions also strongly encourage member states to establish multi-annual timetables as soon as possible to illustrate how they will reach these targets. The Council also called on the European Commission to include information on the establishment and implementation of these timetables in its regular reporting on financing for development. The next report will be published in early 2009.
	The UK worked hard to ensure that these conclusions on aid targets and timetables were agreed by member states at the GAERC, and continues to push for the establishment and implementation of timetables for all EU member states. We report progress against our own targets on a regular basis, including in the DFID Annual Report.

Gaza: Electricity

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has made to the  (a) Palestinian authority and  (b) Israeli authorities on the prolonged power cuts and surges as a result of the strikes by the Association of Gas Distribution in Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: We have urged the government of Israel to ensure that, in line with its own public commitments, its actions do not result in an humanitarian crisis in Gaza. For example the Foreign Secretary and I issued a statement on 8 February expressing our grave concern over the fuel situation. We also fully support the EU presidency statement in April urging "regular and unrestricted delivery of fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip in order not to aggravate further the humanitarian situation". We are conscious that Palestinian militants have deliberately also aggravated the humanitarian situation, including through the attacks on the Nahal Oz and Kerem Shalom crossings. We condemn such actions which can only lead to more misery for the people of Gaza. The violence needs to stop and basic humanitarian supplies, including fuel, should be allowed in and properly distributed to those who need them.
	There is a shortage of all types of fuel in Gaza. At present, Gaza experiences about six to eight hours of daily power cuts. Power cuts paralyse daily life and stop essential services, including health care, being delivered effectively. Fuel supply to the Gaza power plant is sourced by the European Commission (EC) and delivered directly and has not been affected by the association's strike. The Israeli authorities only allow delivery of about 2.2 million litres of the 3.5 million litres that the power plant needs to operate at full capacity. The UK has provided £15 million to the EC's Temporary International Mechanism and £15.45 to its successor PEGASE for basic services to ordinary Palestinians, including delivery of fuel to the Gaza power plant.

International Assistance: Standards

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to give responsibility to the UN to monitor and evaluate the efforts of international organisations to tackle abuses by peacekeepers and aid workers;
	(2)  what steps his Department plans to take through the United Nations to improve reporting of and action taken in response to sexual exploitation and abuse of children by UN peacekeepers.

Meg Munn: I have been asked to reply.
	We believe strongly that UN personnel must uphold the highest standards of behaviour. The vast majority of UN peacekeepers uphold those standards while doing important work in difficult and dangerous circumstances. They are working to build the conditions for sustainable peace.
	The UK takes all allegations of misconduct by UN and other peacekeepers extremely seriously. The UN is responsible for tackling any individual allegations of misconduct with troop contributing countries. We will continue to work closely with the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations and other partners to ensure that its 'zero tolerance' policy towards incidents of abuse is implemented in full. We have been instrumental in instigating some recent policy changes at the UN aimed at preventing and tackling sexual exploitation and abuse. These include: a more robust Model Memorandum of Understanding between the UN and Troop Contributing Countries; an upgraded Welfare and Recreation Strategy for peacekeeping and related personnel; a Victim's Assistance Strategy to provide assistance to survivors of sexual violence perpetrated by UN personnel; and a resolution on 'Criminal accountability of UN officials and experts on mission'.
	We are also helping to support the UN's efforts to assess, prioritise and respond to the sexual exploitation and abuse of children by UN peacekeepers and aid workers. This has involved taking concrete measures to address both the military and civilian branches of peacekeeping support operations. One such measure, the UN's Conduct and Discipline Units, is funded by the UK's Conflict Prevention Pool. These teams work to ensure that all peacekeeping personnel undergo training on UN standards of conduct relating to sexual exploitation and abuse, and that all allegations of wrongdoing are reported upon and followed up with appropriate action. In the UN Mission in Liberia, for example, the number of cases reported to the UN was reduced by half from 2006 to 2007.
	The UK supports all efforts to protect the world's most vulnerable children from sexual abuse. To strengthen the UN's approach further, the UK supported the UN Secretary-General's recent recommendation to include, where appropriate, child protection advisors within the mandates of peacekeeping missions. As an active member of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, we will continue to work to improve the effectiveness of existing UN monitoring, reporting and disciplinary mechanisms.
	Through its Conflict Prevention programme, the UK also helps to train military personnel for peacekeeping operations. Good conduct and respect for human rights is an integral part of all training courses. The UK will continue to provide training on peace support operations for troops from other countries, which covers conduct and discipline, particularly the importance of protecting civilians (including women and children) in accordance with international law.
	Save The Children (the non-governmental organisation) raise some important concerns in their report about abuse committed not just by UN personnel but aid workers employed by non-governmental organisations. We need to carefully consider with the UN and the non-governmental organisation community how best to ensure children are not subject to abuse.

Occupied Territories: Business

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to encourage business investment in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank.

Douglas Alexander: Private sector investment is a priority for the Department for International Development's (DFID) programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). The UK funded the Investment Climate Assessment conducted by the World Bank in 2007, which was critical to identifying the challenges and needs for business to recover in the OPTs. DFID, in partnership with the World Bank, has allocated £3 million over three years to make Palestinian businesses more competitive.
	DFID was a leading partner of the Palestine Investment Conference (PIC) that took place in Bethlehem on 21-23 May. I hosted a "curtain-raiser" event for it here in London on 2 May. The conference itself was successful. With DFID support, investment projects totalling £1 billion were prepared for the conference. These have the potential to create 50,000 new jobs, which is critical to economic recovery and a sense of hope, particularly among young people. 10 investment agreements were signed for a total of over £700 million, primarily in housing, infrastructure and telecommunications with Arab companies. At the conference, I launched a new private sector initiative—the £3.7 million New Market Development Initiative—to support Palestinian businesses to compete in new markets and enhance exports. DFID will provide £3 million and the World Bank £0.7 million. We will continue to work to help make investment promises a reality.

Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government have taken to improve the safety of British aid workers overseas.

Douglas Alexander: Department for International Development (DFID) staff posted abroad receive security briefing and training. While in country, office and home accommodation and local travel is security risk assessed with appropriate security safeguards adopted.
	Consultants and contractors employed by DFID are responsible for their own security and safety arrangements, however DFID will seek to ensure they are appropriately briefed on security matters.
	Consultants and contractors and other British aid staff working independently of DFID, e.g. NGOs, will have access to Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) consular services as well as the advice offered on travel to countries as listed on the FCO website.

Overseas Aid

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps the Government has taken to improve the distribution of aid.

Douglas Alexander: Over the past year, the Department for International Development (DFID) has improved the distribution of its bilateral aid by putting in place a formal two-stage process to support allocation decisions. The first stage uses a model to guide allocations to low income countries based on need and their ability to effectively use the aid. The second stage takes the allocations proposed by the model and considers how other country level considerations like the likelihood of that country getting into conflict or their progress in reaching the millennium development goals may affect their allocations.
	In addition, DFID is committed to improving distribution of aid through the multilateral system by strengthening the evidence base for multilateral effectiveness. DFID produces multilateral development effectiveness summaries which measure multilateral organisations according to their country level and global results, how they manage resources and partnerships with others, and how they build for the future. DFID is also working with other donors through the multilateral organisations performance assessment network (MOPAN) to develop a method of measuring the effectiveness of multilateral for use by the joint donor group.
	Further information on aid allocation and distribution is available in chapters five and 10 of the DFID annual report 2008; copies of which are in the Library of the House.

NHS Dentistry

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are waiting to be registered with an NHS dentist in Hemsworth constituency.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected centrally. It is for primary care trusts to determine how best to manage patients seeking NHS dental services.

Two-tier Work Force Guidance

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he monitors the use in the NHS of Office of Government Commerce guidance on the two-tier work force.

Ann Keen: The Department monitors the use in the NHS of the Office for Government Commerce guidance on the two-tier work force, known as the Cabinet Office code of practice on workforce matters, through regular meetings with trade unions, the CBI, the Business Services Association and NHS Employers.
	There are also similar arrangements with other Government Departments through the Public Services Forum.

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards achieving the Government's target of providing cardiac rehabilitation to 85 per cent. of heart attack and re-vascularisation patients.

Ann Keen: Chapter Seven of the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, published in 2000, issued appropriate guidance to the national health services regarding the provision of cardiac rehabilitation services. Implementation of this guidance is a matter for the local NHS, working in partnership with stakeholders and the local community. It is for NHS organisations to plan and develop services based on their specific local knowledge and expertise.

Polyclinics

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the consultation on GP-led health centres and polyclinics will begin.

Ben Bradshaw: Local consultations on proposals for GP-led health centres have already begun in most primary care trust areas, which should include the hon. Member's area.
	The precise scope and nature of the consultation process should be determined locally.

GP Dispensing

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on dispensing arrangements for GP practices in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. Copies of this publication are available in the Library.

Dawn Primarolo: Following publication of the White Paper "Pharmacy in England : Building on Strengths—Delivering the Future", there have been a number of representations—through the Listening Events and through correspondence—concerning the future arrangements for dispensing by GPs including those in rural areas.
	Formal consultation on our intentions to reform pharmacy services, to improve services for patients, will begin before the summer recess.

Family Nurse Partnerships

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on family nurse partnerships.

Ann Keen: The Family Nurse Partnership is currently being tested in 10 areas in England. Over the next year we will extend this pilot to another 20 areas. We still have much to learn about the programme and the impact it has on children and families in this country but we are pleased to say that early signs are promising.

Carers Strategy

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the carers strategy.

Ivan Lewis: Last Tuesday we announced our new 10-year Carers Strategy—"Carers at the heart of 21st century families and communities—A caring system on your side. A life of your own." The strategy sets an ambitious vision focusing on providing greater services and support for carers over the next ten years.

Diabetes

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to assist people with diabetes who are unable to take out insurance against critical illness.

Ann Keen: The decision whether to take out private medical insurance and/or critical illness cover is a personal one.
	We continue to support the national health service in implementing the standards set out in the Diabetes National service Framework (NSF) to improve services for people with diabetes.

HIV

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in England diagnosed with HIV are ineligible for treatment.

Dawn Primarolo: National HIV surveillance data collated at the Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections does not collect information on eligibility for treatment. All people who are ordinarily resident in England are entitled to free national health service treatment, including treatment for HIV, and latest data show that in 2006 there were 48,480 diagnosed HIV infected individuals who accessed HIV related care at national health service sites in England.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department  (a) has commissioned,  (b) plans to commission and  (c) has evaluated on the causes of spontaneous abortion; when his Department last undertook a review on the causes of spontaneous abortion that took into account (i) UK and (ii) international research; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Hammersmith and St. Mary's and Imperial College Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) formed as part of the implementation of the Government's research strategy "Best Research for Best Health" and funded by the Department is undertaking research that aims to further understanding of the mechanisms underlying recurrent miscarriage. Copies of the strategy are available in the Library. The Cambridge university hospitals and university of Cambridge BRC is separately working to develop an integrated method of screening pregnant women to determine their risk of and to identify novel genetic and molecular markers for adverse perinatal outcome.
	The Medical Research Council supports a wide portfolio of research related to premature birth and related conditions, reproductive tract research and underpinning reproductive medicine and paediatric research and has recently funded two projects directly related to spontaneous abortion.
	The Department has not undertaken a review of the causes of spontaneous abortion. We are however aware of work of organisations such as the Miscarriage Association, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Association of Early Pregnancy Units in this area. In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on antenatal care include guidance to reduce the risk of miscarriage.

Arthritis: Occupational Health

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the proportion of rheumatoid arthritis patients who when treated with anti-TNF medications respond positively to the treatment and are enable to remain at work.

Ann Keen: Information on the number of people with rheumatoid arthritis who are able to remain in work after treatment is not collected.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to provide a digital mammography set in all breast cancer screening units by 2010.

Ann Keen: As a result of requests from local breast screening services; we intend to put in place a national framework contract for digital mammography x-ray equipment. This approach will enable standardised equipment to be purchased, the best value for money to be obtained, and will support local services with national expertise. We also intend to put in place the necessary development work to enable the digital images created by the new equipment to be stored electronically in the picture archiving and communications system currently in use for other diagnostic imaging services.

Breast Feeding

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trained health professionals have received training in giving breastfeeding advice; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of that training.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department encourages the health professional bodies to continue to provide advice and resources to assist health professionals in gaining skills in breastfeeding advice. Responsibility for training of health professionals rests with the respective health professional bodies and the employing organisation.
	At present, we are encouraging hospitals and community settings to adopt The United Nations Children's Fund's Baby Friendly Initiative, as the evidence shows that the proportion of babies breastfed at birth increases by more than 10 per cent. on average over four years when hospitals implement the Baby Friendly standards. Part of this package includes training to midwives and health visitors to help mothers establish breastfeeding and support them in the early weeks.

Cord Blood

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the likely effect on the level of cord blood collection of the new licensing procedure announced by the Human Tissues Authority on 30 April.

Dawn Primarolo: While it is not possible to predict with accuracy the effect on levels of cord blood collection, the Human Tissue Authority has had discussions with organisations affected by the new procedures with a view to creating a regulatory framework that is flexible and proportionate and meets the requirements of the Regulations. The Department is currently carrying out a cord blood policy review which is due to report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in the autumn.

Dental Services

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average distance a person had to travel to see an NHS dentist in  (a) Southend-on-Sea,  (b) each constituency in Essex and  (c) England (i) in each year since 1997 and (ii) at the latest date for which information is available.

Ann Keen: The requested information is not available. It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to commission local dental services to meet local needs. PCTs are expected to develop robust commissioning plans. These will include consideration of access to local dental services at the time and place that people want.

Dietary Supplements: Jersey

Bill Olner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the Food Standards Agency has secured agreement with the government of Jersey to bring forward legislation to establish compliance with European legislation on food supplements and nutrition and health claims in accordance with protocol 3 of the Treaty of Accession; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he next plans to discuss with the government of Jersey their obligations under protocol 3 of the Treaty of Accession to comply with European legislation on the free movement of trade in health products, with particular reference to the medicines legislation, the Food Supplements Directive and the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation.

Dawn Primarolo: A meeting was held between officials of the Crown Dependencies and those of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other interested United Kingdom Government Departments on 11 April 2008. At this meeting, officials representing the Government of Jersey indicated that a major update of food safety legislation was underway in Jersey and that both the Food Supplements Directive and the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation are to be implemented as part of this exercise.
	Officials of the Government of Jersey have undertaken to keep the FSA appraised of progress in updating Jersey food safety legislation and to work with companies on the island to address the issue of the sale of food supplements which are illegal in the UK.
	There are no current plans for further discussions with the Government of Jersey on the Food Supplements Directive or the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will be arranging discussions with the Government of Jersey on the implementation of the medicines directive in Jersey during the course of 2008.

Direct Payments

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received direct payments in  (a) each quarter of 2007-08 and  (b) the first quarter of 2008-09.

Ivan Lewis: The figures for 2007-08 and 2008-09 are not yet available. The data is collected on an annual basis for the period 1 April to 31 March. Quarterly data is not held centrally.
	In total 48,000 people aged 18 and over received direct payments in England during the year 2006-07.

Drugs: Jersey

Bill Olner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has recently reviewed the medicine laws of Jersey to monitor compliance with European legislation under Protocol 3 of the Treaty of Accession.

Dawn Primarolo: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) does not believe that the Medicines (Jersey) Law 1995 complies with European medicines legislation as the Jersey Law is based on the United Kingdom's Medicines Act of 1968. The MHRA will be discussing this matter with the Government of Jersey during 2008.

Drugs: Misuse

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are taken to manage interaction between patients referred to drug and alcohol services for addiction to prescription drugs and those referred for addiction to illegal drugs.

Dawn Primarolo: The majority of specialist drug treatment services only treat those whose primary drug of addiction is an illicit drug, such as crack or heroin, and do not routinely treat individuals who are primarily addicted to prescription drugs.
	However, people with illicit drug problems often misuse a variety of drugs, including prescription drugs. In cases like this, the specialist drug treatment service will treat both the illicit drug use and prescription drug use.
	Individuals whose primary drug of addiction is a prescribed drug and who do not have an illicit drug problem are normally treated in a primary care setting or by mental health services.
	A range of guidance is available to specialist drug treatment services, including the joint Department of Health and National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse guidelines, Drug Misuse and Dependence: UK Guidelines on Clinical Management, published in September 2007, which can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthimprovement/Substancemisuse/Substancemisusegeneralinformation/DH_4064342

Epilepsy: Death

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent evaluation he has made of research into sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.

Ann Keen: We have made no evaluation of research into sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.
	However, I have agreed to meet with Epilepsy Bereaved to discuss this matter further.

Epilepsy: Death

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to undertake research into sudden unexplained deaths in epilepsy.

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding he plans to provide for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy research in each of the next three years.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 3 June 2008,  Official Report, column 902W.

Female Genital Mutilation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take on the issue of guidance to healthcare professionals on the treatment of cases arising from female genital mutilation.

Dawn Primarolo: "Working Together to Safeguard Children" published in April 2006, the main interagency guide to safeguarding the welfare of children, includes advice on safeguarding children who may have been or are in danger of being victims of this crime. Copies of this publication are available in the Library.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health from what source the £42 million funding to be provided by central Government for the capital costs of fluoridation will be drawn.

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the £42 million he announced in February for health authorities to consult on fluoridation has been spent; which health authorities have applied for funding; and for how much in each case.

Ann Keen: Up to £43 million will be available from centrally managed national health service capital funds over the three years 2008-09 to 2010-11 to assist strategic health authorities (SHAs) with the capital cost of establishing new fluoridation schemes which have been supported by local communities, or refurbishing plant to maintain existing fluoridation schemes. Funding for public consultations needs to be agreed locally between the responsible SHA and participating primary care trusts, drawing upon their local NHS budgets. No public consultation on any new fluoridation scheme has yet been conducted. The following bids have been received so far for support with the cost of upgrading and refurbishment of the plant used in existing fluoridation schemes; West Midlands SHA has requested £1.35 million, East Midlands SHA £1.3 million, and North West SHA £250,000.

General Practitioners: Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what services currently offered by existing GP practices in Hemel Hempstead will also be offered by the polyclinic proposed to be sited there; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: There are no proposals for a new Polyclinic in Hemel Hempstead.
	We have asked primary care trusts (PCTs) to include requirements for core general practitioner (GP) services within their specifications for the new GP-led health centres. PCTs are being encouraged to develop locally appropriate other services that would bring together a wide range of community based services, determined by local need. West Hertfordshire PCT held a consultation within West Hertfordshire from 26 March to 26 May 2008. All consultation outcomes will be considered prior to finalising the West Hertfordshire PCT scheme.

Health Partnerships: Miners Welfares

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health partnerships there are which are  (a) based in miners welfares and  (b) include miners welfares.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not held centrally.

Heart Diseases: Health Services

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations his Department has received on the provision of incentives for the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral arterial disease in primary care.

Ann Keen: The Department has engaged in discussions with Target PAD about ways to support adoption of best practice in identifying and treating patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) as part of a national overall strategy for vascular diseases.
	The Department is currently developing the programme of vascular assessment originally announced by the Prime Minister in January, and outlined in "Putting Prevention First", which is due to be rolled out from 2009-10. Copies of this publication are available in the Library. The programme is aimed at assessing and modifying risk factors for vascular disease. These are common to the whole range of vascular diseases, including PAD.
	We would expect that the combination of vascular risk assessments and existing Quality and Outcome Framework registers for vascular diseases should identify the majority of people with PAD or at significant risk of developing it.
	In addition, the Department has also offered to work with Target PAD to develop a national specification for primary care trusts to commission local enhanced services in relation to PAD or for its treatment.

Hepatitis

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has  (a) taken and  (b) plans to take to improve diagnosis rates of hepatitis C; what representations he has received on this issue since June 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The "Hepatitis C: Action Plan for England" (2004) sets out a national framework for the national health service and other key stakeholders to strengthen efforts to tackle hepatitis C, including by increased diagnosis. Copies of this publication are available in the Library.
	Since the Department has funded the hepatitis C awareness campaign, which has contributed to increased hepatitis C testing, diagnosis and treatment. The campaign, for healthcare professionals and the public, uses a range of methods of communication, including for example:
	information leaflets for healthcare professionals and the public;
	press, radio and bus advertising;
	a hepatitis C awareness website;
	a freephone information line; and
	an innovative touring photography exhibition in partnership with local national health service organisations and other stakeholders.
	This will continue in 2008-09.
	Since June 2007, the Department has received approximately 10 representations on this issue from hon. Members in their own right or on behalf of constituents, members of the public and the voluntary sector.

Hygiene: Domestic Safety

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission research into standards of hygiene in domestic kitchens and their implications for public health.

Dawn Primarolo: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has no current plans to fund further research into standards of hygiene in the domestic kitchen, having funded a number of projects in the past. The FSA recognises the importance of good food hygiene and is actively working to promote appropriate messages to consumers to encourage best practice in the home. The FSA will consider commissioning research should specific problems or issues relating to hygiene in the domestic kitchen arise in the future.

Influenza: Disease Control

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library copies of the self-assessment audit tools issued to the NHS in November 2007 to help strengthen pandemic influenza plans, as referred to on page 16 of his Department's NHS Winter Report 2007-08, published on 9 April 2008; whether the results of the audit will be collated at a national level; what steps he is taking to support NHS organisations in addressing issues raised in the audit; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Copies of the self-assessment questionnaires provided to strategic health authorities (SHAs) have been placed in the Library.
	The findings of the self-assessment are currently being considered at SHA level. This will assist in identifying where further improvements are required. Additional work is also being taken forward centrally in order to support the national health service in its preparedness planning.

Organs: Donors

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the data collected by the UKT Potential Donor Audit; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: UK Transplant's (part of NHS Blood and Transplant) national potential donor audit (PDA) began in January 2003, as part of a series of measures to improve organ donation. The principal aim of this audit is to determine the potential number of organ donors in the United Kingdom. Data are collected on every patient death in an intensive care unit.
	A PDA summary report for the 24-month period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2007 has been placed in the Library, this report and further information is available on UK Transplant website at:
	www.uktransplant.org.uk/ukt/statistics/potential_donor_audit/potential_donor_audit.jsp

Social Services: Standards

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government plans to take to improve social care provision.

Ivan Lewis: In December 2007, we published "Putting People First", a cross-sector concordat establishing the collaboration between central and local Government, the sector's professional leadership, providers and the regulator. It set out the shared aims and values which transform adult social care and people's experience of local support and services. At that time we also announced the Social Care Reform Grant, a new, ringfenced grant of £520 million over the three years from 2008-09 to 2010-11. The expectation is that in the next three years councils will have made significant steps towards redesigning and reshaping their adult social care services, with the majority having most of the core components of a personalised system in place by 2011.
	On 10 June we published the new carers strategy, "Carers at the heart of 21(st) century families and communities: a caring system on your side, a life of your own". The Strategy sets an ambitious vision focusing on providing greater services and support for carers over the next 10 years. Specifically, in the short-term, to kick-start the process of improving support for carers, we are investing an additional £150 million in providing breaks for carers, up to £38 million in helping carers combine paid employment and caring and over £6 million in support for young carers. Furthermore, we are committed, in the longer-term, to reviewing the structure of the benefits available to carers in the context of wider benefit reform and the fundamental review of the care and support system. In total, we are investing £255 million in the short-term commitments included in the Strategy. This investment builds on the annual carers grant provided to local authorities to enable them to support carers (this stands at £224 million in 2008-09).
	Finally, on 12 May 2008 the Government launched a process for extensive public engagement, which will lead to a Green Paper identifying key issues and options for reform of the core and support system to be published in early 2009.

Strokes

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department  (a) has commissioned,  (b) plans to commission and  (c) has evaluated on the (i) causes and (ii) means of prevention of a transient ischaemic attack; when his Department last undertook a review of those matters that took into account (A) UK and (B) international research; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department funds national health service research and development through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR Health Technology Assessment, Service Development and Organisation, and Research for Patient Benefit programmes have each supported recently completed or current research of direct relevance to the hon. Member's question.
	The work programme of the Institute's Oxford Biomedical Research Centre has a stroke theme, of which part is devoted to the early prevention of stroke. Two NIHR programme grants with a total value of £2.8 million have been awarded for projects also concerned with stroke prevention. Further details are available on the NIHR website at
	www.nihr.ac.uk.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research. In 2006-07 the MRC spent £6.8 million on stroke related research, much of which will be of relevance to transient ischaemic attack.
	The Department, together with academics, clinicians, the voluntary sector and stroke survivors and their carers, looked at the available evidence in relation to the treatment and prevention of transient ischaemic attack when preparing the 'National Stroke Strategy'. The strategy was published in December 2007 and makes recommendations to the NHS about the most effective way to treat those who have a transient ischaemic attack. Copies of the strategy are available in the Library.

Security and Intelligence Committee: Manpower

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Prime Minister who the  (a) clerk is and  (b) secretariat are of the Security and Intelligence Committee.

Gordon Brown: The clerk and secretariat of the Intelligence and Security Committee are civil servants employed by the Cabinet Office. They are appointed in accordance with the rules governing all civil service appointments.

Criminal Proceedings

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2008,  Official Report, column 1111W, on criminal proceedings, 
	(1)  when the working group on the Very High Cost Case (VHCC) scheme will make its proposals for the next VHCC scheme; and whether these will be published;
	(2)  how frequently the working group on the Very High Cost Case scheme meets.

Maria Eagle: The working group on Very High Cost Cases (VHCC) aims to present initial proposals for the next VHCC scheme by 8 July 2008. Detailed proposals will then be developed and will be subject to public consultation in due course.
	The working group meets on a regular basis at appropriate points, rather than following a particular pattern of meetings.

Departmental Aviation

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether staff in  (a) his Department and  (b) the Central Office of Information who are entitled to travel on a business class or first class airfare on official business are permitted to travel in a cheaper class; and what (i) financial and (ii) other benefits staff are permitted to accrue from any saving.

Michael Wills: Staff entitled to travel business or first class are permitted to travel in a cheaper class.
	Staff are not permitted to accrue any financial cost or other benefits from any savings made as a result of a downgrade in the class of air fare.
	As the Department meets the financial cost of official travel, any savings made would be accrued by the Department and not the travelling officer.
	The Central Office of Information is not a component of the Ministry of Justice and we are therefore unable to respond on their behalf. The Central Office of Information's Chief Executive reports to the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Departmental Security

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many departmental identity cards or departmental passes have been reported lost or stolen in the last 24 months in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its executive agencies.

Michael Wills: The numbers of reported losses and thefts are:
	
		
			   Department  HMCS  HMPS  Office of Public Guardian 
			  Lost passes 
			 2006 113 39 131 (1)— 
			 2007 45 14 127 18 
			 2008 to May No record 0 27 16 
			  
			  Stolen passes 
			 2006 6 2 17 (1)— 
			 2007 7 0 7 16 
			 2008 to May (1)— 2 3 2 
			 (1) No record. 
		
	
	Only one identity card has been reported lost or stolen in the last 24 months
	It has not been possible to split all 2006 figures to show the last 24 months but figures are included for the period to May 2008. Records of card replacement for the Tribunals Service and the new HQ system do not indicate the reason.
	In the Ministry of Justice, the responsibility for administering the issue and return of security passes sits with respective business areas and is not administered centrally. As a consequence, details for the Probation Service (whose services are administered via 42 separate business areas) could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Economic and Monetary Union

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on what date  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies last updated their euro changeover plans; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent version of each.

Michael Wills: The former DCA had a detailed Euro Changeover Plan in place by the end of 2004, as requested by HM Treasury. The plan was reviewed regularly, with the latest Highlight Report dated March 2006. This plan covered the following areas:
	DCA Corporate HQ
	Courts Service
	Court Funds Office
	Information Commissioners Office
	Judge Advocate General
	Judicial Studies Board
	Law Commission
	Legal Services Commission
	Legal Services Ombudsman
	Official Solicitor and Public Trustee
	Public Guardianship Office
	Scotland Office
	Tribunals Directorate (separate Agency from April 2006)
	Wales Office
	Land Registry.
	There are no plans at present to place a copy in the Library.
	The prisons and probation services and OCJR were included in the Home Office plan and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Jacqui Smith) will be responding to your question in respect of the Home Office.

Elections: Fraud

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to prevent the opportunities for electoral fraud identified in the judgment on electoral fraud in Slough; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: We have noted the findings and comments in the judgment of the election court. Since 2005, the Government have introduced a range of new measures to strengthen the integrity of our electoral system, and there have been very few proven incidences of fraud since the new measures were brought into force. They include:
	Clear new powers for electoral administrators to cross-check applications to register to vote against other information the council holds.
	New requirement for electors to provide personal identifiers (signature and date of birth) if they wish to have a postal vote. The identifiers must be replicated by electors when they subsequently cast their postal vote, and will be cross-checked with the original samples to ensure the postal vote is valid.
	Administrators get more time to check postal vote applications because people have to apply for a postal vote a minimum of 11 working days before the close of poll (the previous minimum was six days).
	Postal vote applicants have to specify a reason if they want their postal vote to be sent to an address other than that at which they are registered.
	Electoral administrators write to everyone who has applied for a postal vote at their registered address acknowledging receipt of their application and confirming the outcome—this will alert people to any applications for postal votes made falsely on their behalf.
	The Government are working to improve the electoral register and agree in principle with individual registration. However, the ground needs to be prepared; unlike Northern Ireland, where there had been a perception of over-registration, in Great Britain there is an issue of under-registration—with in the region 3.5 million eligible electors not on the electoral register. A rapid and unplanned move to individual registration would exacerbate that situation.
	We will take account of the election court's judgment in any further development on electoral registration and postal voting processes and legislation.

Elections: Fraud

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent estimate he has made of the level of postal vote fraud.

Bridget Prentice: Overall, the incidence of postal voting fraud remains relatively low. It is also apparent that the cases that have arisen only relate to a small number of authorities across the country.
	However, the Government take the risk of electoral fraud extremely seriously. We have put in place a range of measures to safeguard the security of postal voting. These include the introduction of a system of personal identifiers for postal voters to ensure that postal votes counted at an election are valid. We are also continuing to work closely with the Electoral Commission, police, political parties and returning officers to raise awareness and strengthen systems to ensure that fraud is detected and prosecuted.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of people eligible but not registered to vote in each of the last 11 years, broken down by region; and what assessment he has made of the effects of individual voter registration on the level of voter registration;
	(2)  what the average rate of voter registration is in the 100  (a) least and  (b) most deprived wards; what assessment he has made of the effects of individual voter registration on the rate of registration in such wards; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Government have not made any estimate of the number of people eligible but not registered to vote in each of the last 11 years, as such information is not available for all of that period. However, the Electoral Commission estimated that 3.5 million eligible electors were not registered to vote in their report, 'Understanding Electoral Registration', which was published in 2005.
	It is not known what the average rate of voter registration is in the 100  (a) least and  (b) most deprived wards, as this information is not collected but we are aware that any new system of electoral registration in GB would need to be tailored to current circumstances, and in particular would need to address the challenge of under-registration.
	The Government are committed to the principle of individual registration. But this will be a far-reaching reform, and it will need to be undertaken with great care—both to make sure a new system is robust, and to ensure that it properly tackles the problem of under-registration.
	Our vision for electoral registration is clear: we want to protect the rights of every eligible person to participate in the United Kingdom's democratic process by ensuring complete, accurate and secure electoral registration.

Equality

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to establish a strategy to tackle age discrimination and promote age equality in the provision of goods and services  (a) by the Department and  (b) within the sectors for which he has policy responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: There is currently no statutory requirement to ensure age equality in the provision of goods and services. However, Ministry of Justice equality impact assessment procedures include a requirement to consider age related issues as part of the policy development process. This covers initiatives within the MOJ and its agencies.
	The Government have considered the case for prohibiting age discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services as part of its consultation paper on proposals for the Equality Bill, "A Framework for Fairness". The Government will publish their response to the consultation shortly.

Morning Star

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many copies of the Morning Star  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies procures on subscription each week; and at what cost.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice receives two copies of the Morning Star every day (Monday to Friday) at a cost of £6 per week.
	Her Majesty's Court Service, The Land Registry, Boundary Commission for England, Judicial Appointments Commission, the Office of the Public Guardian, Boundary Commission for Wales, the Tribunals Service, the Legal Service Commission and the National Archives do not receive any copies of the Morning Star on subscription.

National Identity: Public Participation

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer of 21 November 2007,  Official Report, column 975W, on politics and government, what the final cost was of the consultation on a Statement of Values held in Leicester on 10 December 2007.

Jack Straw: The final cost of the of the "Governance of Britain" event held in Leicester on 10 December 2007 was £36,963.50.

National Identity: Public Participation

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) Ministers,  (b) officials,  (c) representatives of local authorities,  (d) invited members of the public and  (e) non-invited members of the public attended the consultation event on a Statement of Values in Leicester on 10 December 2007.

Jack Straw: A total of 120 people (excluding Ministers and officials) attended the event in Leicester on 10 December 2007. This included:
	 (a) The Minister of State and me;
	 (b) 19 Officials who acted as table facilitators and note takers;
	 (c) 21 representatives of local authorities, including both elected members and officials;
	 (d) 110 invited members of the public attended as full delegates at the event;
	 (e) In addition, approximately 10 non-invited members of the public attended the public Q and A session.
	In addition 20 young people attended a question and answer session with me earlier in the same day.

Official Secrets Act 1989: Prosecutions

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions for an offence under section 8 of the Official Secrets Act 1989 there have been since the Act came into force.

Maria Eagle: Since the Official Secrets Act 1989 came into force on 1 March 1990, no prosecutions and convictions have been counted by the Ministry of Justice under section 8 of the Act.
	The court proceedings data held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

Powers of Attorney

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether application fees for powers of attorney to the Office of the Public Guardian are payable if  (a) the target time for reply is not reached and  (b) the target time for reply is not reached and the person for whom the applicant applies subsequently dies before reply;
	(2)  what the target time is for processing applications for powers of attorney by the Office of the Public Guardian;
	(3)  how many applications for powers of attorney were not replied to in the target time by the Office of the Public Guardian in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: The current fee regulations for both Lasting Powers of Attorney and Enduring Powers of Attorney require a fee to be paid upon an application to register the power with the Office of the Public Guardian. No refund is automatically payable either if the target for registering the power is missed, or if the target is missed and the person who lacks capacity, or the applicant, dies before it is registered.
	If an applicant, or the person who lacks capacity, feels that they have suffered significant worry, distress or financial loss as a result of an unreasonable delay then they may be entitled to financial redress.
	The Office of the Public Guardian's business plan outlines the targets that have been agreed with the Ministry of Justice. For Lasting Powers of Attorney, these targets, together with the statutory waiting period, give a maximum expected end-to-end processing time of nine weeks. This includes two weeks to process and check the application, a six weeks statutory waiting period during which objections to registration can be made and a further week to notify parties of registration. For Enduring Powers of Attorney the maximum expected end-to-end processing time is six weeks, which includes a five week statutory waiting period followed by a week to notify parties of registration.
	Since 2003 the Public Guardianship Office and from October the Office of the Public Guardian would have met this timescale for Enduring Powers of Attorney in virtually all cases (between 99-100 per cent of cases) except in 1996 when 96.3 per cent. of cases met those timescales.
	Since October 2007 the OPG has seen increasingly large numbers of applications to register powers of attorney, which has lead to delays in the process for Lasting Powers of Attorney. For example, in both April and May this year total applications to register both types of powers of attorney were approximately three times as many as for the same period last year.
	This has meant that Lasting Power of Attorney applications are currently taking an average of 12 weeks to process—three weeks longer than we would expect. I regret the delays that are occurring in this area and which are due to the increased volumes of business the Office is seeing. Additional resources have already been put into place to address this. The Office of the Public Guardian expects to see delays reduced over the coming weeks for service standards to begin to be brought back within targets.

Prisons

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  from which local authorities his Department sought information on potential locations for Titan prisons;
	(2)  whether he plans to build Titan prisons on sites in  (a) public ownership,  (b) private ownership or  (c) both; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what account he plans to take of the proximity of existing prisons when deciding where to locate new Titan prisons; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) sought information on the availability, within their statutory area of authority, of sites which meet our criteria and that might be suitable and available for the construction of a Titan prison as defined by the Carter report and announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Mr. Straw) on 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 821, from all public authorities in the West Midlands, London/Essex and the North West.
	NOMS set out its site requirements which are:
	Minimum site of 50 acres
	Preferably brownfield sites, regular in shape, level and not overlooked
	Ideally no restrictions such as listed buildings; rights of way across the site; other third party rights, etc.
	Good access from the Public Highway
	Ideally all mains services connections already exist
	Additionally, NOMS pointed out some of the benefits of a Titan prison which are:
	Significant, permanent job creation for 1,500 jobs across the skills range
	Economic benefits to a location of c.£36 million per annum
	Funding confirmed for these major regeneration projects
	NOMS went on to invite public authorities to meet and discuss whether they are able to provide details of suitable sites within their area.
	The Ministry of Justice will seek to acquire land that meets the Titan prison criteria, whether in private or public ownership.
	Proximity to existing prisons is not considered within the site search criteria and is not a factor for determining Titan prison sites.

Probation Service: Pay

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reason Probation Service staff have not received their contractual pay increments in 2008.

Maria Eagle: Probation staff have a contractual right to pay progression from 1 April 2008 but the amount of that progression has to be negotiated as part of the annual pay settlement. Discussions relating to this settlement are currently taking place between the probation employers and the trade unions. It is hoped that a settlement will be reached as soon as possible.

Tribunals Service

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which tribunal venues are scheduled for closure under the Tribunals Service venue rationalisation programme as at 1 June 2008; and what the planned date of each such closure is.

Bridget Prentice: The Tribunals Service have inherited a network of hearing venues of varying quality across the UK, many of which were in the same towns and cities. An examination of venue usage showed a substantial under-utilisation of courtrooms in many areas. The Tribunal Service aims to rationalise this network to unify services and operate more efficiently, by introducing a high quality network of multi-jurisdictional hearing centres which more accurately reflect the varying demand of appeal caseload across the UK.
	The proposed future network multi-jurisdictional hearing centres and the associated rationalisation plans have not yet been finalised and are currently subject to internal consultations and funding approval. The internal consultation process is due to be finalised by the end of the summer.

Welsh Language

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent assessment he has made of the level of demand for the services provided by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental bodies to be provided in the Welsh language; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: A survey conducted across the Ministry of Justice and a sample of our agencies and non-departmental bodies shows variable levels of demand for service provision in the Welsh language, depending in part on the services provided and whether they are provided directly in Wales. Please see the following table for further information.
	In accordance with the Welsh Language Act 1993, the Ministry of Justice has prepared a Welsh Language Scheme, which will be put out to public consultation once it has been cleared by the Welsh Language Board. It will be formally adopted, with any necessary changes, after consultation has been completed.
	In the period before the Welsh language policy is formally adopted, the Department, in the conduct of its public business in Wales, applies the principle that the English and Welsh languages should be treated on a basis of equality so far as is appropriate in the circumstances and is reasonably practicable.
	
		
			  Ministry of Justice organisation  Welsh language service provision  Indicator of take-up level in last 12 months 
			 Ministry of Justice The draft MoJ Welsh Language Scheme has been prepared and will be put out to public consultation once cleared by the Welsh Language Board. The Best Value In Probation consultation paper was published on the MoJ website on 9 April 2008 in English and Welsh. Between 9 April 2008 and 11 June 2008 there were: 76 page views of the Welsh consultation paper and 41 page views of the Welsh questionnaire. These compared to 1,824 page views of the English consultation paper pdf and 755 page views of the English questionnaire. To date no requests have been made for hard copies of the Welsh language consultation paper. The consultation exercise will close on 2 July 2008. 
			
			 Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) HMCS has its own published Welsh Language Scheme Most of the HMCS website is available in Welsh. Ensures courts provide sufficient copies of bi-lingual customer information leaflets to meet local demand. Spent £112,000 on Welsh language translations. 
			
			 Welsh Language Unit, Her Majesty's Courts Service Provides Welsh translation and interpretation services for HMCS, MoJ and her agencies. Is covered by HMCS Welsh Language Scheme. Translations completed for HMCS: 1,621. Translations completed for MoJ and her agencies (excluding HMCS): 263. County court cases: 55 cases used Welsh Language interpreters. Bench and associated meetings: Interpreters provided eight times. 
			
			 National Offender Management Service (formerly HM Prison Service and National Probation Service) A review is under way of the published NOMS Wales Welsh Language Scheme in light of recent restructuring of NOMS Wales and HM Prison Service into NOMS Cymru. Each probation area in Wales has its own Welsh Language Scheme. In accordance with an HMPS key audit baseline, the Prisoners' Information Book provided for all prisoners is printed automatically in Welsh (along with other languages) and placed in all prison libraries. 
			
			 Tribunals Service Has own published Welsh Language Scheme and Welsh speaking judiciary and administrators. Uses the services of the HMCS Welsh Language Unit. A small number of requests for Welsh language translations have been received in the period in question. In 2007-08, £9,800 was spent on translations into Welsh. 
			
			 The Boundary Commission for Wales Has own Welsh Language Scheme. Publishes documents bilingually in hard copy and on its website. No telephone calls or correspondence was received in Welsh for the period in question; however £600 was spent on translations into Welsh. 
			
			 Office for Criminal Justice Reform Is currently covered by Home Office Welsh Language Scheme. Have produced many standard publications in Welsh in last 12 months. 
			
			 Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Is developing/planning to develop its own Welsh Language Scheme. The JAC takes the initiative to translate into Welsh its material on judicial appointments in Wales. £3,900 spent on translation into Welsh in last 12 months. 
			
			 The National Archives Has its own Welsh Language policy. Responsible for Her Majesty's Stationery Office which publishes in Welsh all legislation passed by the National Assembly for Wales and the Welsh Assembly Government as part of its statutory responsibilities under the Government of Wales Acts). There were 16,000 page views on the official legislation website for Wales in (provided in Welsh) between 1 June 2007 and 31 May 2008. This is 4 per cent. of the page views in both languages (total: 369,000). It is difficult to provide data on the level of demand for legislation in other formats (such as hard, printed copies) as they are printed in both English and Welsh within the same document. 
			
			 Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council (AJTC) (formerly Council on Tribunals or CoT) The Welsh Committee of the AJTC came into being on 1 June 2008. The AJTC is covered by the, MoJ draft Welsh Language Scheme. No requests received for materials in Welsh in specified period. In June 2007, the CoT ran a conference in Wales at which Welsh language documentation and simultaneous translation were provided in accordance with established conventions. 
			
			 Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority Does not have a Welsh Language Scheme but automatically translates its most important publications into Welsh. 47 Welsh versions sent out of the Guide to the 2001 Compensation Scheme between October 2007 and February 2008. 
			
			 Office of the Public Guardian Has own Welsh language scheme. Most OPG guidance booklets and the Lasting Power of Attorney forms are provided automatically in Welsh. No specific requests received for translations into Welsh since OPG established in October 2007. 
			
			 Law Commission Is covered by MoJ draft Welsh Language Scheme. No requests received for Welsh translations of any Law Commission publications. 
			
			 Youth Justice Board Has own Welsh Language policy. Publishes bilingually all strategic documents and service user documentation for use in Wales; the recent YJB national conference had simultaneous translation into Welsh. Conducted a review of Welsh Language service provision in the secure estate and in Youth Offending Teams August 2007 to February 2008.

Child Support Agency: Finance

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how much the Child Support Agency paid Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs for referrals for income disclosure information in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the service level agreement between Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the Child Support Agency on their data sharing arrangements.

James Plaskitt: holding answer  10 June 2008
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mark Grimshaw, dated 17 June 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As the Chief Executive is currently out of the office on business, I am responding, with his authority, on his behalf.
	; and
	If he will place in the Library a copy of the service level agreement between Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the Child Support Agency on their data sharing arrangements.
	The Child Support Agency paid a total of £627,000 to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in 2007/08 to cover the costs associated with information requests relating to the location of a non-resident parent as well as information relating to income. The Agency is unable to identify the costs relating solely to income disclosure.
	It is worth noting that the transfer of funds from the Agency ensures both that cross-departmental service is provided at full economic costs in order for value for money to be demonstrated and that all costs associated with administering child maintenance are captured.
	There are three service level agreements which relate to data sharing between Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the Child Support Agency. These provide for information to be shared in respect of Tax Credits, National Insurance Contributions, and by the Debt Management and Banking Division. The latter replaces an earlier agreement with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and is currently in the process of being finalised.
	These agreements are reviewed and revised regularly and therefore are liable to significant change over the course of the year. I have therefore arranged for copies of the service level agreements to be forwarded direct to you under separate cover.

Departmental Advertising

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department's No Ifs, No Buts advertising campaign has cost to date.

Anne McGuire: The Targeting Benefit Thieves campaign, 'No Ifs No Buts', was launched in October 2006. The following table details spend on the 'No Ifs No Buts' campaign costs since its inception in 2006.
	
		
			   £000 
			   Campaign spend 
			 2006-07 6,568 
			 2006-08 6,374 
			  Notes: 1. Figures given are for actual spend for the Targeting Benefit Thieves (October 2006 to March 2008) campaign. 2. All figures are exclusive of VAT. 3. The figures in this table refer to media spend, design, PR,, production, research and any other associated costs. 4. All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.

European Skills Assessment

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on working towards the European skills assessment.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	We welcome the 2008 Spring European Council's invitation to the European Commission to conduct a European Skills Review to present a comprehensive assessment of the future skills requirements in Europe up to 2020. We hope the European Skills Review will help all member states examine and address their future skills challenges, and develop their own responses to likely demands. To date, the work with the Commission and other member states to establish the European Skills Review has been carried out during our normal dialogue with these partners, and so has not occurred additional costs.

Jobseekers Allowance: Students

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many full-time students responsible for a child aged under 16 years or a young person aged under 20 years claimed jobseekers allowance or income support during the summer vacation from a full-time course of non-advanced education in the last three years for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: holding answer  9 June 2008
	The information requested is not available.

Post Office Card Account

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 21 April 2008,  Official Report, columns 1845-46W, on the Post Office Card Account, what the maximum number of outlets where the card account is to be operated is; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: holding answer  5 June 2008
	There will be no maximum number of outlets at which the successor to the post office card account will be available.

Social Security Benefits

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) training and  (b) support options are offered to (i) those in receipt of jobseeker's allowance, (ii) those in receipt of incapacity benefit, (iii) those on the New Deal for lone parents and (iv) partners of a New Deal claimant; and for what reasons distinctions are made between the options available to those in each category.

Stephen Timms: Jobcentre Plus advisers provide support and advice to all their customers. This includes, but is not limited to, advice about benefits, vacancies, training possibilities and child care.
	Training is provided to Jobcentre Plus customers from a variety of sources including private and voluntary sector providers. The specific training needs of the individual are identified during an interview between the personal adviser and the customer.
	Although the route to training may vary between the various client groups (for example new deal 25 plus, pathways to work, new deal for lone parents) the broad range of training is available to all. Advisers will tailor training towards the particular needs of the individual to ensure that they maximize their chances of returning to employment.
	The support available to each client group is tailored towards the type of specialist help and support they need based upon available resources. This support has been developed over time, either as a result of the evaluation of what individuals need, or by the evaluation of the effectiveness of programmes and pilots, in helping these client groups enter, remain and progress in work.
	Further information can be found at the Jobcentre Plus website;
	www.jobcentreplus.co.uk.

Social Security Benefits

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the value of unclaimed means-tested  (a) benefits,  (b) pension credit,  (c) disability related allowances and  (d) attendance allowance was in each of the last three years.

James Plaskitt: Estimates of the value of unclaimed means-tested benefits in Great Britain, covering income support, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseeker's allowance (income-based) are published in the report "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2006-07". A copy of this report, along with past reports, has been placed in the Library.
	Estimates for means-tested disability related allowances and attendance allowance are not available.

Social Security Benefits: Children

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of children lived in households where at least one person was claiming  (a) income support,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) job seekers allowance at the latest date for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The most recent available information is in the table. It is important to note that these categories overlap; if the claimant is in receipt of more than one of the benefits listed, a child will appear in each relevant category. This means that the three categories cannot be added together to calculate the overall number and proportion of children living in households which are in receipt of these benefits. The figures also include children in households where people are both in receipt of benefit and working.
	
		
			  Children dependent on a parent or guardian claiming income support (IS), incapacity benefit (IB), and jobseeker's allowance (JSA) as at April 2007 
			   Dependent children aged 0-15  Proportion of dependent children aged 0-15 
			 Parent/guardian claiming IS 1,805,575 16.2 
			 Parent/guardian claiming IB 570,210 5.1 
			 Parent/guardian claiming JSA 164,550 1.5 
			 Notes: 1. All caseload figures supplied have been rounded to the nearest five. 2. Information is for a snapshot in time of claimants on the computer system, and will, therefore, exclude a very small number of cases that are held clerically. 3. Data represents children dependent on a parent or guardian who is claiming incapacity benefit, jobseekers allowance, or income support. 4. Due to the introduction of child tax credits in April 2003, information on child dependents is not reliably completed on the benefit computer system therefore children have been merged onto benefit claims from child benefit records with permission from HMRC. 5. If the claimant is in receipt of more than one of the benefits listed a child will appear in each relevant category. 6. The total number of children with child benefit aged 0-15 has been used as percentage denominators  Source: DWP Information Directorate 
		
	
	The number and proportion of children whose parent or guardian is in receipt of one or more of these benefits is presented in the following table. The figures also include children in households where people are both in receipt of benefit and working. This data therefore differs from that which is used to measure progress against the PSA target on children in workless households which is measured using the Labour Force survey. Since 1997 the proportion of children living in workless households in Great Britain has fallen from 18.7 per cent. to 16 per cent. in quarter 2 of 2007—this is a reduction of 405,000.
	
		
			  Children dependent on a parent or guardian claiming income support (IS), incapacity benefit (IB), or jobseeker's allowance (JSA) as at April 2007 
			   Dependent children aged 0-15  Proportion of dependent children aged 0-15 
			 Parent/guardian claiming one or more of IS, IB and JSA 2,189,960 19.7 
			  Notes: 1. All caseload figures supplied have been rounded to the nearest five. 2. Information is for a snapshot in time of claimants on the computer system, and will, therefore, exclude a very small number of cases that are held clerically. 3. Data represents children dependent on a parent or guardian who is claiming incapacity benefit, jobseekers allowance, or income support. 4. Due to the introduction of child tax credits in April 2003, information on child dependents is not reliably completed on the benefit computer system therefore children have been merged onto benefit claims from child benefit records with permission from HMRC. 5. The total number of children with child benefit aged 0-15 has been used as percentage denominators.  Source: DWP Information Directorate

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each London borough were  (a) prosecuted for and  (b) convicted of benefit fraud offences in each of the last five years; and what the cost of pursuing such prosecutions was.

James Plaskitt: Information regarding DWP administered benefits is not available below national and regional level.
	The available information regarding the local authority administered benefits, housing benefit and council tax benefit, is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Total number of cases accepted for prosecution 
			  Local authority  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Barking 0 1 15 11 9 
			 Barnet 14 30 26 27 21 
			 Bexley 24 31 23 31 26 
			 Brent 10 15 36 54 30 
			 Bromley 4 18 30 35 34 
			 Camden 1 9 5 22 2 
			 City of London 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Croydon 8 39 20 17 33 
			 Ealing 27 41 34 41 15 
			 Enfield 0 9 62 75 30 
			 Greenwich 17 31 48 68 39 
			 Hackney 5 0 35 14 20 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 13 40 39 50 33 
			 Haringey 12 11 38 19 4 
			 Harrow 2 3 16 20 32 
			 Havering 6 13 14 18 23 
			 Hillingdon 15 34 13 9 15 
			 Hounslow 13 13 10 18 21 
			 Islington 15 14 18 19 n/a 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0 15 12 36 n/a 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0 6 5 9 2 
			 Lambeth 0 47 22 49 61 
			 Lewisham 17 29 42 79 n/a 
			 Merton 0 2 3 5 7 
			 Newham 19 56 32 12 10 
			 Redbridge 62 32 35 52 15 
			 Richmond upon Thames 4 4 1 3 13 
			 Southwark 17 38 31 39 50 
			 Sutton 20 13 14 16 8 
			 Tower Hamlets 2 2 5 14 34 
			 Waltham Forest 7 17 29 45 16 
			 Wandsworth 18 15 13 19 12 
			 Westminster 17 24 23 18 n/a 
		
	
	
		
			  Total number of guilty verdicts obtained 
			  Local authority  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Barking 0 1 7 3 12 
			 Barnet 11 18 18 27 26 
			 Bexley 22 19 15 26 22 
			 Brent 9 14 13 43 26 
			 Bromley 3 10 14 21 32 
			 Camden 2 9 4 15 7 
			 City of London 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Croydon 7 17 16 13 19 
			 Ealing 18 36 25 30 37 
			 Enfield 0 6 54 55 40 
			 Greenwich 23 27 45 59 36 
			 Hackney 3 0 12 6 37 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 20 21 37 32 46 
			 Haringey 10 11 24 25 10 
			 Harrow 1 0 7 15 26 
			 Havering 1 10 15 10 20 
			 Hillingdon 15 34 13 9 15 
			 Hounslow 9 11 9 6 15 
			 Islington 14 11 6 17 n/a 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0 8 7 23 25 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0 3 6 5 3 
			 Lambeth 0 13 31 39 28 
			 Lewisham 16 18 35 46 n/a 
			 Merton 0 2 3 3 9 
			 Newham 11 37 29 23 n/a 
			 Redbridge 38 35 26 35 26 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2 1 2 3 13 
			 Southwark 8 22 28 30 49 
			 Sutton 15 10 12 10 11 
			 Tower Hamlets 1 1 2 13 26 
			 Waltham Forest 4 12 24 30 17 
			 Wandsworth 17 14 11 10 17 
			 Westminster 13 14 15 14 n/a 
			 n/a = data not available  Note: Data on costs in pursuing these prosecutions is not available.  Source: Estimates are based on Stats 124 administrative data returns.

Armed Forces: Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the Answer of 18th December 2007, Official Report, columns 1447-8W, on the armed forces: influenza, if he will place in the Library copies of the  (a) agendas and  (b) minutes of the meetings of the (i) MISC 32 Flu Working Group and (ii) the Pandemic Implementation Group.

Tom Watson: Information relating to the proceedings of the MISC 32 Cabinet Committee and the Pandemic Flu Implementation Group, is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion and the formulation or development of government policy.

Civil Servants: Holiday Leave

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many privilege holidays civil servants in the Cabinet Office are entitled to; and on what days of the year.

Tom Watson: Cabinet Office civil servants are entitled to 2.5 privilege day holidays annually. These are normally taken on:
	Maundy Thursday afternoon.
	The Tuesday after the late May bank holiday to mark the Queen's official birthday.
	The last working day before Christmas Day or the first working day after Boxing Day.
	Cabinet Office civil servants can arrange with their managers to work an alternative day within 12 months of the designated day if, for example, they wish to use their Christmas or Maundy Thursday privilege day entitlement for other religious festivals.

Departmental Data Protection

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many times his Department was found in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 by the Information Commissioner in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Miliband: The Cabinet Office has not been found in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 by the Information Commissioner in any of the last five years.

Departmental Manpower

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many and what proportion of staff in the Prime Minister's Office are  (a) male,  (b) female,  (c) from an ethnic minority,  (d) disabled and  (e) not heterosexual; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	The latest available data on the disability status and ethnic background of civil servants in the Cabinet Office are as at 30 September 2006 and are published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as 'Civil Service Statistics 2006'. This can be accessed from the following web-site address:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme labour/2006CivilServiceStatistics.pdf
	A copy has also been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Declaration of ethnic background and disabled status is voluntary. The latest available data on the gender of civil servants are as at 31 December 2007 and are also published by ONS, as part of their wider Quarterly Public Sector Employment Statistics (QPSES). This can be accessed via the following web-site address:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/pse0308.pdf
	A copy has also been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Information on civil servants' sexual orientation is not currently compiled or published.

Departmental Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the  (a) rate and  (b) cost was of employer contributions for each public sector pension scheme for which his Department has responsibility in each year since 1990-91; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: Since the introduction of resource accounting in 1999-2000 the amount of the employer contributions made is published each year in the resource accounts of Cabinet Office: Civil Superannuation, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. The amount of the employer contributions made for the years 1995-1996 (when the Cabinet Office became the scheme managers) to 1998-1999 is available in the Cabinet Office Appropriation Accounts, copies of which are also available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Pensions

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cash equivalent transfer value is of the public sector pensions of the 10 highest paid members of staff in his Department and its executive agencies; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: The cash equivalent transfer value for the Department's most senior staff is set out in the departmental resource accounts that are published on the Cabinet Office website at
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/reports/annualreport.aspx.
	Copies are available in the Library for the reference of members.

Departmental Vocational Training

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for what proportion of the staff of the Prime Minister's Office vocational training has been provided in the last three years.

Tom Watson: The Prime Minister's Office forms part of the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office is committed to giving all its employees equal access to learning and development opportunities and all staff are entitled to a minimum of five days development each year.

Intelligence Services: Data Protection

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  whether any officials of  (a) M15,  (b) M16 and  (c) the Special Branch (i) have been suspended and (ii) have resigned following the loss of secret papers on 10th June 2008;
	(2)  following the loss of secret papers on 10th June 2008, if he will improve the arrangements for parliamentary scrutiny and oversight of the security and intelligence services; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will make a statement on the loss of secret papers on 10th June 2008.

Edward Miliband: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made in the House on 12 June 2008,  Official Report, columns 485-494.

Parliament: By-Elections

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance exists on the conduct of civil servants, special advisers and Ministers during a Parliamentary by-election period.

Edward Miliband: The Cabinet Secretary wrote to Departments on 8 May 2008 reminding them of the principles that apply to a constituency where a parliamentary by-election is taking place. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library of the House for the reference of Members.

Welsh Language

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent assessment he has made of the level of demand for the services provided by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies and non-departmental bodies to be provided in the Welsh language; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: The Cabinet Office has recently reviewed the need to translate material into Welsh to inform its discussions with the Welsh Language Board about its Welsh language policy.
	Consideration is given to translating material into Welsh by the Cabinet Office and its non-departmental bodies where their activities in Wales involve direct dealings with the public. For example, the forms, publication and web pages associated with the recent campaign to encourage people to nominate ordinary people for honours were made available in Welsh.